https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-economy-worse-shape-than-moscow-says-report-eu-shows-2025-05-13/ The report, prepared for talks of European Union finance ministers, said that while still relatively stable, the Russian economy was only superficially resilient and that underlying imbalances and structural weaknesses were growing. "The fiscal stimulus of the war economy has kept the economy afloat in the short term, but the reliance on opaque financing, distortionary resource allocation, and shrinking fiscal buffers makes it unsustainable in the long term. Contrary to Kremlin narratives, time is not on Russia's side," it said.

Definitely seems like "creative accounting"

@Mik That is a good point. I remember hearing a CEO who said, "the only decisions I SHOULD make are those that nobody else CAN make."

Me too, honestly, as regards Weiss. I think things changed a bit when her funders took a very public pro-Trump stance. But I hold out hope she might be turning it around. She was criticized by people such as Claire Lehman and Andrew Sullivan, whom she surely imagines as part of her 'tribe'. Also the tariff stuff is probably not so popular in her circles. We'll see.

Thanks. That worked.

Brain worms.

Those were completely different times that didn't require the level of nuance we need now.

@cathys said in We didn't have a Mothers' Day thread.: I know I don't post a lot but I'm still here Yay!!!

@LuFins-Dad said in Not to brag but: Throw any chin music to back the little bastards off the plate? Absolutely

@Horace LOL. Got bad reviews because of lack of AC and indoor plumbing, plus having to walk to the top of the hill to get to it.

https://x.com/osint613/status/1922552625775411590?s=46

Wonderful equipment Mark. The hifi store I worked carried Heco and Sonos speakers. Sounded great with the right system driving them. Usually used a MacIntosh for amplication although a Greek Zacharidis tube amp also sound good. Sonos and Harbeth speakers sounded best to me.

Like I said… 2 decades….

All those videos are fun! Thanks!

This thread is making me look forward to Clapton in September.

I was dumping boxes of ancient essays and academic crap recently. I was amazed how articulate and smart I seemed on paper 30-40 yrs ago. I still have occasional nightmares of being called out, being hauled in front of a committee of professors for not citing a reference for something I wrote …